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I recently started using Blender for a project involving multiple cables (or ropes) connected to the same object. Let's say, for instance, this is my set-up:
- two cylinders containing a rolled-up cable;
- a curve wrapped around each cylinder;
- a "curve modifier" for the cables (to follow the curve);
- a cube connected to these two cables.

I made it work to "roll-off" the cable from the cylinder while following the (Bezier) curve: Cable following curve

Now what I want to do is to connect the cables to the cube (or to some other object), like this: enter image description here

I already used the "transformation constraint" and mapped the movement of the cube to a single cable, while following a curve (both the cube and the cable). Now what I actually want to do is to move the cube around and dynamically change the curves (or more importantly: the "rolling up/off" of the cables).

I am able to "control" these different motions programmatically, however, I want to do this in blender. Is there a way to do this? It does not necessarily have to be "perfect" for that matter. My blender skills are fairly limited, and at first sight is seems that extending or stretching the curve could already be a big step forward? Or there might be a completely different, much better way :-).

Thanks!

baklan
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  • Without knowing your setup with more detail I'd say it was simply a matter of parenting the cable meshes to the cube, or at perhaps adding a Copy Location constraint on the correct axis. – Duarte Farrajota Ramos Sep 18 '18 at 21:51
  • I tried parenting, however, this introduces even more complexity (and only works when transforming in one perticular axis). The cable mesh is wrapped using a curve modifier. I want the cube to stick to the end of both cable meshes when moving this mesh around and roll-up/off the cables accordingly. E.g. moving the cube 2x+1y would correspond to rolling off the cable 2.23 z (or over an angle a) and changing the curve of the cable. – baklan Sep 18 '18 at 22:27
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    You can simultaneously use hooks to pin a curve vertex to any object. Related https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/76756/how-to-animate-winding-a-ribbon-onto-a-cylinder – Duarte Farrajota Ramos Sep 18 '18 at 22:41

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